Householders would do well to shop around when pay-by-weight bin charges come into force.

It is clear from the survey of waste collectors that savings are available, but it's noticeable that in some areas with competition in the market, particularly Dublin, prices aren't significantly lower than the rest of the country.

But what is telling is the number of companies which refused to set out their prices, despite each having numerous opportunities to respond. The Irish Independent contacted each company at least three times by phone and email. In some cases, companies were contacted five or more times.

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